Air quality concerns linger in New York City as officials ready for more serious drought warning

With smoke from fires still in the air, the air quality index in the New York City area is expected to top 100 today, an “orange alert” level status. That means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups including older and pregnant people, children, and those with chronic health conditions.

At-risk groups are recommended to limit their time outside or stay inside, use an air purifier if possible, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity.

Some relief could come as soon as Sunday night, with up to a half-inch of rain expected in the area, according to the National Weather Service. According to research, falling rain binds to pollutant particles in the air. That reduces air pollution most significantly while the rain is falling and generally improves the air quality afterward. However the city remains on air quality alert until then.

Throughout the metro area any outdoor burning is strongly discouraged, according to the National Weather Service, and much of southwest Connecticut is on “red flag warning,” meaning that dry, fire-ready conditions along with high winds mean brush and wildfires can spark easily and grow quickly.

Mayor Eric Adams banned grilling in public parks on Saturday, and urged New Yorkers to conserve water in the face of the ongoing drought watch.

That drought watch will likely be upgraded in severity to “drought warning” in the next two weeks given the forecast for a largely dry November and perhaps December, said NYC commissioner of Emergency Management Zach Iscol. At the warning stage, city agencies begin to act on the plans they’ve begun making during drought watch.

New Yorkers should continue to conserve water through any rain, Iscol said, noting that the city’s Hudson Valley reservoirs have a roughly nine-inch deficit of rain, and that while rain in the city can help with air quality and fire risk, only rain further north can refill the reservoirs.

“This is sort of the new normal for New Yorkers,” Iscol said. “We live in a time of extreme weather and people need to be prepared.”

Brush fires in Prospect Park and South Brooklyn and wildfires in New York and New Jersey have surprised New Yorkers and kept fire departments busy across the region. A State Parks worker was killed on Saturday fighting a wildfire along the New York, New Jersey border, according to New York State Police.